1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing device, a method of image processing and an image processing program, and more particularly, to such an image processing device, method and program each of which is capable of carrying out an image quality adjustment of image data.
2. Related Art
It has conventionally been known that in adjustment of image quality, a user adjusts or corrects an image while viewing the image displayed on a screen. Alternatively, it has been known that an automatic correction is carried out to achieve a previously determined target value of image quality or a target value of image quality obtained from results of analysis of image data. For example, see Japanese published patent applications, JP-A-2002-314809, JP-A-2002-314834 and JP-A-2003-250056. In the aforesaid automatic correction, results of automatic correction are displayed on a screen so that the user can confirm the results. Furthermore, a technique of comparing images to determine a degree of similarity is also known. For example, see published international patent application, WO2002/86821.
However, since the image adjustment depends upon every user's preference, an image automatically adjusted cannot correspond to an original image completely. However, even when the user tries to carry out automatic adjustment by retouching based on his/her preference, he/she does not know how an automatic adjustment should be carried out. Accordingly, providing guidelines of image quality adjustment has been desired. Furthermore, even though results according to the user's preference are displayed on a display irrespective of automatic adjustment and retouching, printing results sometimes differ from the displayed results. Accordingly, provision of indexes has been desired as to whether printing results correspond to desired results.
On the other hand, in digital still cameras (DSC), the capacity of storage medium has recently been increased with cost reduction in storage elements. Consequently, the increased capacity of storage medium results in a problem of data reduction of a large amount of photos though photos can be taken more easily. A choice needs to be made among a large amount of image data according to good or poor results. Accordingly, provision of indexes has been desired as to whether a choice is made among a large amount of image data.
Furthermore, in digital still cameras (DSC), data is generally stored using a file format in which processes of de-mosaicing and data compression have been executed, such as a joint photographic experts group (JPEG). However, use of a RAW format has been increased for the purpose of increasing the freedom in retouching. A RAW file has a characteristic that a relatively finer result can be achieved when image processing or the like, for example, image correction is carried out therefor. On the other hand, a JPEG file has a characteristic that an image cannot be corrected as fine as the RAW file but the image can be processed at higher speeds. Since the RAW and JPEG files thus differ in the image processing characteristic, the user should select a suitable file format in accordance with processing or purposes. There is no problem when either JPEG or RAW format is used. However, when both formats are usable, users are bewildered by selection of either one of file formats regarding an object to be stored and an object to be processed. Accordingly, when image data can be stored using a plurality of file formats, provision of indexes has been desired as to what file format should be selected.